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Fantasy Booking Finn Balor Through WrestleMania

Since Survivor Series Finn Balor has been on an odd journey, he had as good a showing as anyone, not in the McMahon family did in the tag match. Fans were ready to see Finn vs. Lesnar at the Royal Rumble, especially since Lesnar had just had a fantastic match against AJ Styles someone who wrestles a lot like Balor.

However, not long after Survivor Series, reports surfaced that Vince had changed his mind about Balor and Lesnar at the Rumble because he didn’t believe Finn was over enough to take on Lesnar, which was heartbreaking to many fans.

Balor had a fantastic Rumble performance coming in at two and lasting through the final four until being eliminated by Cena. Balor looked like the star he is in the event. Perhaps now, Vince has changed his mind on the Irish born Superstar, and will maybe put him in a huge match at WrestleMania.

I don’t have to tell you this, but Finn never received his re-match for the Universal Championship held by Lesnar. Balor had to relinquish the belt due to injury the night after he won it in a match with Seth Rollins at Summer Slam two years ago. Fans have been clamoring for Balor to get his shot at the most important belt on Monday Night Raw since Finn returned after WrestleMania last year. While Balor is deserving of a rematch, he won’t be getting one at WrestleMania this year.

Finn should still be in a marquee match at WrestleMania 34, and I’m going to book him into it. But first, we’ll need to start at the next Raw event, Elimination Chamber.

Elimination Chamber

Credit: WWE.com

First things first Finn is in a Fatal Four Way match this Monday against ‘Woken’ Matt Hardy, Bray Wyatt, and Apollo Crews in a Second Chance Match, in which the winner will earn the final spot in the Elimination Chamber. If anyone else wins this match, the entire WWE Universe will be surprised.

So, let’s work under the assumption that Balor wins Monday, and goes onto the Elimination Chamber.

By now it’s obvious that the Raw main event for WrestleMania, and if we’re honest probably the main event, is going to be Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns. Barring an injury, to either party, these plans likely won’t change. So, Balor probably won’t be making an appearance there.

Plus, since those are the plans that also means that he won’t be winning the Elimination Chamber. Doesn’t mean though that he can’t have a good showing.

Finn and Cena should open the Chamber match. Going off of the phenomenal match they had just a few weeks ago on Raw and the tension brewing between the two, this could be a good way to get the crowd invested in the match from the start.

I’m not going to book the entire Chamber, that’s a whole other article in itself, but I will say that Miz shouldn’t come out until five, making him the second to last entrant, only because Elias has won that spot in the main event of this past Monday Night Raw.

However, Miz should have a brief appearance in the Elimination Chamber. Being the only champion in the Chamber, Miz will have a massive target on his back. As soon as he steps foot outside the pod, Reigns attacks. The bad blood there over the Intercontinental Championship tells the story by itself. Reigns hits Miz with the Super Man Punch only to be taken out by Braun, which then leaves a prone Miz laying in the corner. Balor takes the opportunity, hits Miz with a Coup de Grace and eliminates the Intercontinental Champion, setting up a WrestleMania feud between the two.

Balor, should make it to the final two, just him and Reigns, and come up just short. A missed Coupe de Grace rolls him out to the middle of the ring, and as he turns to attack, he’s hit by a spear from Roman.

Five Weeks from WrestleMania:

Credit: WWE.com

The next night on Raw Reigns is out in the ring gloating about his win in the Elimination Chamber. Balor then comes out and says he, “Almost beat Reigns in the Chamber.” and that if Reigns is feeling cocky, then he should put his world title shot on the line one more time. Reigns agrees, and Angle makes the match official.

In the main event of Raw that night, Balor and Reigns are going strong, and are having a great match. A back and forth affair, filled with close calls, and near finishes.

Balor hits Reigns win a Coup de Grace only for Reigns to kick out. Balor instantly runs to the other corner to set up for another dropkick to then lead into another Coup de Grace. Seeing victory, and a WrestleMania main event in sight Finn looks confident, staring a hole through Roman Reigns.

Just as Reigns makes it to his feet, and Balor is about to take off, the Miztourage drags Reigns out of the ring, and attack Reigns, costing Balor the match and his shot at the Universal Title.

Before Balor can react, Miz drags Balor out of the ring, and hits Skullcrushing Finale on the outside, and yells, “You take away my opportunity, I take away yours!” Raises the Intercontinental Championship in the air, and the cameras fade to black.

One Month From Mania:

The next week on Raw the Balor Club kicks us off. Balor stands in the middle of the ring and demands a shot at The Miz at WrestleMania. Miz comes out, and in typical heel fashion, denies Balor the opportunity. Angle then walks out and schedules the match, and makes it for the Intercontinental Championship.

Miz tells Angle that’s not fair, and that Balor should have to earn the shot at the “most prestigious title in WWE history!” Angle agrees and makes two matches for the next two weeks.

If Balor can beat both Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel over the next two weeks, then the match at Mania is for the IC Title. However, if he loses one of them the match at Mania is a non-title match. Angle also adds in the caveat of everyone banned from ringside and says if anyone from the Balor Club comes down to the ring during the match at Mania will not be for the belt. However, if anyone from the Miztourage comes down Miz will be stripped of the IC Title, and the match will become a six-man ladder match.

Three Weeks to Mania:

The next week on Raw Balor takes on Bo Dallas and beats him handily, however, during the match Miz, and Axel come out onto the stage and taunt Balor, almost costing him the match. Angle doesn’t do anything since technically, they didn’t break any rules by staying on the stage.

Two Weeks ‘Till Mania:

The following week, Balor comes out with Gallows and Anderson and leaves them on the stage to keep Miz and Dallas from pulling anything.

The match starts without a hitch until about halfway through Miz and Dallas come out onto the stage, and a brawl breaks out. Miz and Gallows fight off the stage and to the back, while Anderson and Dallas fight into the crowd.

The camera pans away, and everyone forgets about them as the match continues in the ring. Until Anderson clotheslines Dallas over the barricade and into the ringside area sending himself over the barricade in the process, just as Balor hits the Coupe de Grace and wins the match.

Miz comes out and argues that Anderson went over the barricade and into the ringside area; therefore Balor shouldn’t get his title shot. Balor retorts that Dallas actually came into the ringside area first, so he should still get his title shot.

Angle comes out beat red and says that Balor will still get his title shot. However, it will come in the form of a six-man ladder match for a vacant Intercontinental Championship, as Kurt forces a begging Miz to hand the belt over.

Angle then says that the other four opponents will be decided over the next week in singles matches, and he will announce the possible opponents the following week.

The Monday Before WrestleMania:

We are now six days away from WrestleMania, and Kurt Angle starts us off in the ring to announce the eight possible competitors that will fight for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania.

In the first match, we will see ‘Woken’ Matt Hardy vs. Seth Rollins, followed by Titus O’Neil vs. a returning Samoa Joe. Angle then announces the final two matches, the first of which will pit John Cena vs. Heath Slater, and the second match will include Apollo Crews taking on a mystery opponent.

In the first match, Rollins and Hardy have an outstanding back and forth match, until at the end it looks like Hardy is going to win only for the lights to go out, and Bray Wyatt distracts Hardy long enough for Rollins to hit his knee strike. Sending Rollins onto WrestleMania. (You may be rolling your eyes at this, but it’s a lot better than the current rumored plans for Rollins.)

The second match goes by just as quickly as all of the duo’s previous ones. Joe dominates and beats O’Neil in only a few minutes. Effectively booking Joe for the Ladder Match at Mania.

Apollo comes out and awaits his opponent. He paces back and forth and looks at the stage, as a new theme hits, and Johnny Gargano makes his way onto the stage.

Gargano and Crews have a good match, filled with high-flying spots from Crews, and excellent technical spots from Gargano, filled with false finishes, and close calls, until finally, Gargano locks Crews in the “Gargano Escape” and forces Crews to tap-out.

The final match between Cena and Slater begins as it should with Cena dominating, which he does through most of the match with Slater only getting small bursts of offense in as the match goes.

Cena starts to heat up and hit the same four or five moves he’s hit to end a match since he started on the main roster, and just as he’s going for the “Five Knuckle Shuffle” Elias strums his guitar and walks out onto the ramp. Singing to Cena about how if he can’t be in the Ladder Match then John won’t be either. Just as Elias finishes this line, Slater hits Cena with his finisher and pins him in the middle of the ring. Thus giving us our six competitors in the Ladder Match (Miz, Balor, Rollins, Samoa Joe, Gargano, and Slater), and solidifying a match between Cena and Elias.

(Explanation: I put Slater into the match and left Strowman out because I honestly believe that Strowman and Kane will be facing off at Mania, and Slater has worked so hard for the company for so long that he deserves to hear his music played at least once at WrestleMania.)

WrestleMania 34:

Credit: WWE.com

The Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match should go on early in the night, maybe even open the show, and no doubt with the competitors involved it very easily could steal the show. Everyone in the match are quick movers and have no fear of taking to the skies. Meaning this should be a high-flying and exciting match, from start to finish, that could be just as exciting as the match from WrestleMania 32.

Everyone in this match could win, though only one person should: Finn Balor. Rollins would be a good Intercontinental Champion as well, but there is more of a storyline if Balor wins, and he could use this title win to catapult him into the Main Event scene much like it has for Miz.

Plus, this gives a good reason for Miz to drop the belt without actually having to be pinned that way he can keep his momentum, and carry it into a match with Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship. Plus, it also gives Miz a reason to be written off of TV so he can be with Maryse and his soon-to-be-born daughter.

WWE can even have him challenge Balor in his re-match the next night on Raw, and then leave after that, or, even have him get kayfabe injured at WrestleMania to write him off TV, and he could get his re-match once he returns.

Plus, putting a title in the Balor Club makes sense especially since it seems Gallows and Anderson may end up moving into a title match at Mania for the Tag Titles against Sheamus and Cesaro. Seeing those three with gold around their wastes coming out of WrestleMania would be a sight for the sore eyes of the WWE Universe.